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I know that Ricciarelli should never have let Karajan persuade her to undertake the role of Turandot even in the recording studio, yet I have to admit that I enjoy this performance. (The presence of Domingo as Calaf doesn’t hurt.)

I am really liking this one. Am on my second time through and am quickly concluding that it surpasses (for me) the other three I have heard on CD (Levine, Bychkov, and Ermler).

Thought the duel was a cap gun, and there were three of those noises. Then shortly after came a very loud blast, the deadly shot. Not sure what the three "cap gun" noises were though. Maybe someone can figure it out. The "cap gun" pops are from 3:45 to 3:52. The real blast is at 4:15

"Music is enought for a whole lifetime--but a lifetime is not enough for music." --Sergei Vasilyevich Rachmaninoff

It arrived today (the post above was listening from You Tube). Clever packaging. On one side of the slipcase and jewel case you get the image above. On the other side you get the image below. Which would you prefer for the front image?

"Music is enought for a whole lifetime--but a lifetime is not enough for music." --Sergei Vasilyevich Rachmaninoff

As much as La Sonnambula is my absolutely favorite of all operas, and that I have every commercial recording, and that I really love Mariella Devia in the DVD La Fille du Regiment, I never took to her La Sonnambula. I think the recording quality was not the best. But for whatever reason. Guess I should spin it again. You never know. Perceptions can change over time.

"Music is enought for a whole lifetime--but a lifetime is not enough for music." --Sergei Vasilyevich Rachmaninoff

Unlike the film that uses this recording as a "soundtrack," the recording itself is complete -- the overture is not omitted. There was a similar situation with the film version and audio recording of Maazel's Otello (Verdi) with Domingo, Ricciarelli, and Justino Diaz. The film (in which the singers themselves appear) contains a number of cuts, but the audio recording is complete.

Took a break from the Ring to give this just arrived set a listen. Like it and the sound quality is quite good, but my favorite EO remains the Fedoseyev set. However I prefer the voice of Lenski on the Khaikin set. Further listening to this set is warranted before a final judgement.

"Music is enought for a whole lifetime--but a lifetime is not enough for music." --Sergei Vasilyevich Rachmaninoff